Relief to consumers: Centre asks NAFED, NCCF to procure tomatoes from Andhra, Karnataka, Maharashtra

The prices of tomatoes have skyrocketed in several parts of the country. The Centre's direction to ask NAFED and the National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India Limited to procure tomatoes will provide much relief to consumers.

New Delhi: Amid the skyrocketing prices of tomatoes in the country, the Central government on Wednesday directed the National Agriculture Co-operative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) and National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India Limited (NCCF) to procure tomatoes from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra for distribution in the major consuming centres.

Tomatoes prices have been on the rise for the past month. At several places in the country, the retail prices of tomatoes, known as the 'Queen of Kitchen' have soared up to Rs 200 per kilogram due to supply disruption caused by heavy rains.

The Centre's decision would provide a major relief to consumers. In a statement, the Consumer Affairs Ministry also said that tomatoes will be distributed through retail outlets at discounted prices to consumers in the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) region from Friday.

The Ministry said that NAFED and NCCF will undertake the procurement of tomatoes and that the targeted centres for the release of tomatoes have been identified on the basis of absolute increase in retail prices over the past one month in centres where prevailing prices are above the all-India average.

According to the Ministry, key consumption centres in states having higher concentration of the identified centres will be further selected for the intervention.

It also said that at present, the supplies coming to markets in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and some other states are mostly from Maharashtra especially Satara, Narayangaon, and Nashik, which is expected to last till July end. According to the Ministry Madanapalle (Chittoor) in Andhra Pradesh has too continued arrivals in reasonable quantities and the arrivals in Delhi-NCR are mainly from Himachal Pradesh and Kolar in Karnataka.

The Ministry claimed that the new crop arrivals are expected soon from the Nashik district and in August, additional supply is expected to come from the Narayangaon and Aurangabad belt. It also said tomatoes from Madhya Pradesh are also expected to start arriving soon. "Prices are anticipated to cool down in the near future, accordingly," the Ministry noted.